It is very common to mass terminate a plurality of insulated conductors to a connector. The conductors may be provided for mass termination in a variety of forms. In round conductor ribbon cable, for example, discrete wire conductors are disposed in a generally flat, parallel spaced relation to each other between insulating dielectric layers which surround and insulate the wires and form webs of insulation between them. Alternatively, conductors may be provided in the form of a multi-cable assembly having a plurality of insulated conductors surrounded by an outer insulation jacket of a generally round cross-section This latter type of cable assembly presents problems that are absent when dealing with round conductor ribbon cable. When using a ribbon cable, the intervening webs serve to maintain the relative position and spacing of adjacent conductors. On the other hand, when handling discrete wire, the insulated conductors first must be unravelled from a bundle of wires and thereafter positioned in such a manner to permit mass termination with a plurality of terminals.
An example of such a connector system is a telecommunication system wherein a modular unit, such as a telephone, may be provided with an external connector of the receptacle type having a row of laterally spaced terminals which are connected electrically to internal circuitry of the unit. Therefore, electrical connections may be made to the internal circuitry through a flat cable terminated in a modular telecommunication plug which is inserted into the receptacle type connector on the modular unit. The plug is provided with a row of laterally spaced terminals which electrically engage respective terminals in the receptacle type connector and are electrically connected to respective terminals in the flat cable. The flat cables provide means for avoiding any confusion as to which of the conductors in the cable is connected electrically to which of the terminals laterally spaced in the row. However, in some instances, it may be necessary to make electrical connections to internal circuitry of the modular unit through a round cable, such as a coiled cord. The round cable generally does not have the proper size or configuration for terminating in the modular plug suitable for insertion into the receptacle type connector on the unit. In addition, the conductors in the round cable are not disposed in predetermined side-by-side positional relationship for electrical connection to respective terminals in the row thereof.
In order to solve the round-to-flat problems described above, various electrical connector systems have been provided wherein adapters are incorporated in the connectors for positioning and retaining the discrete wires of a round cable in a flat array for termination to the flat array of terminals in a row in the respective connector. Examples of such connectors are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,023, dated Dec. 15, 1987, and 4,769,906, dated Dec. 13, 1988. The 4,713,023 patent is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention is directed to solving the problems of terminating a round cable in a flat terminal array connector in an extremely simple manner and eliminating the adaptor means of the prior art.